Ironing-board.



0. F. HEARTWELL, JR.

IRONING BOARD.

APPLIC'ATION FiLED OCT. 27, 1913.

1,173,508. Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

OSCAR F. HEARTWELL, JR., OF HASTINGS, NEBRASKA.

IRONINGr-IBOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application filed October 27, 1913. Serial No. 797,653.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR F. HEART- WELL, Jr., citizen of the United States, residing at Hastings, in the county of Adams and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ironing boards of the class wherein the parts are arranged to be folded for transportation or storage and to be extended for use, and has for one of its objects to simplify and improve the construction and increase the stability and utility of devices of this character.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claim, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the inven tion.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved device in open position, or ready for use. Fig. 2'is a perspective view of the improved device with the parts in folded or I collapsed position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view from beneath of a portion of the ironing board.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In the drawings, 10 represents the body of the ironing board which is preferably reduced at one end to form a sleeve receiving portion.

A collapsible supporting frame forms a part of the improved device and embraces main supporting legs 12-13 which are pivoted at 15-16 to a cleat 17 connected to the board 10 at its wider end. The main leg members 12-13 are extended beyond the cleat 17 and are connected by a transverse member 18 which serves as a support for the fiat irons and the'like. The member 18 is thus spaced above the upper line of the board 10 and likewise beyond the cleat supporting end of the same as shown. As thus constructed the support or shelf 18 does not project below any portion of the board 10, but leaves the whole upper face of the latter unobstructed.

Mounted to swing upon the pivots 15-16 externally of the leg members 12-13 are other or supplemental leg members 19-20 which stand nearly vertical when the device is in operative position, as represented in Fig. 1. The supplemental leg members 19-20 are supported by diagonal braces 21-22 which cross each other intermediate their ends as shown. The main leg members 12-18 are likewise coupled by a transverse brace member 23 intermediate their ends. Mounted to swing at 2% on the member 23 is a rod 25 which is ofiset at its free end and engages through a staple 26 connected to the diagonal braces 21-22. By this means the supplemental leg members 19-20 are firmly supported from the main leg members 12-13. Mounted for rotation through the main leg members 12-13 near their free ends is a transverse member 27, and-extending from the member 27 is a stay member 28 which is suitably supported in position by braces 29-30. Attached to the lower face of the board 10 is a reinforcing member 31 having a plurality of sockets 32 spaced apart and extending entirely through the member to receive the upper end of the stay member 28 and likewise to serve as ventilators to prevent the board from warping. By providing a plurality 0f the sockets 32 the upper end of the stay member can be adjusted toward and away from the cleat end 17 of the board, and thus enable the reduced end of the board to be raised and lowered, as required.

When the improved device is not in use, the stay member 28 is released and folded down with its free end bearing upon the reinforcing member 31 and the board 10 lowered into substantially parallel relation to the main legs 12-13 and with the latter bearing against the side edges of the board 10, as shown in Fig. 2. The hook 25 is then released and the supplemental leg members 19-20 folded into parallel relation to the main leg members 12-13 and externally of the same with the diagonal braces 21-22 bearing over the main leg members 12-13. The board 10 and the braces 21-22 are provided with a coupling device, such as a hook and eye, represented at 38, to hold the members in closed relation, and prevent their accidental displacement when collapsed, or when not in use. The main leg members, as before described when folded, bear against the side edges of the board 10 while the supplemental legs bear against the outer faces of the main leg members with the diagonal braces bearing upon the ment of the supplemental leg 'members' in one direction. The transverse member 24 holds the members 28 in closed positlon,

in locked relation.

The device is compactly arranged When folded and occupies no more space than the widths of the leg members plus the braces 2122 as will be obvious. All of the parts are firmly supported and held in closed relation by the one fasteningdeviee.

-The improved device is simple in construction, can be constructed almost wholly of wood and as light as possible consistent with the strains to which it will be subjected when in use.

-The reinforcing member 31 and the cleat 17 firmly support the board and prevent it from Warping or springing out of shape, while the member 31 performs the twovfold function of a socket receiving member for the stay member 28, and likewiselas a support to prevent the narrower end of the board from Warping or springing, While the sockets, as before stated, serve also as ventilators to assist in preventing Warping.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In an apparatus of the class "described, an ironing board, a cleat extending :transversely of said board nearone end and with Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing" the Commissioner of Patents,

trunnions at its ends, a reinforcing member attached to the lower face of the board and provided-With a' longitudinal series of sockets extending entirely through the said member, main supporting legs having bearwhile the hook and eye 33 hold all the parts ing apertures spaced from their outer ends and'mounted to swing thereby upon the trunnions in close contact with the side edges of the board and foldable against the same, supplemental legs pivoted upon said trunnions externally of the main legsand foldable alongslde the same, transverse braces connecting-thesupplemental legs, a brace member-pivoted to said main legs and with a reduced-outer end adapted to engage consecutively in the sockets of the reinforcing member and bear against the'lowerface of the'board and fold-between the legs .and the board, a transverse brace rigidlytconnected to said-main legs intermediate their ends,-a tie'member swinging from said rigid brace and-adapted to be coupled'to "the transverse braoesof the supplemental legs,

and a retainer on :the under side of the board adapted to engage over the braces to hold'the parts in folded relation.

- Intestimony whereof I afiix my signature 1n presence of twowitnesses.

Washington, D. G. 

